Pandora's Box
by Hetabri09
Summary: Ten years after Vulcan's destruction, a long seemingly dead mystery unravels itself.
1. Reunion 1

**AN: **Pandora's box is now opened, curiosity is lying in wait for every secret.

Happy reading!

* * *

><p><strong>Disclaimer: <strong>All non-original characters belong to their respective owners. I own nothing except Original character. Names, Places and incidents, Story concepts are fictional.I hope you enjoy reading this story criticism and reviews are welcomed.

* * *

><p><strong>Downtown San Francisco, 2268 ,3 months earlier ,1530 hours<strong>

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter One<strong>

In downtown San Francisco, M'Benga stood out like a Christmas tree in his sharply pressed gray flannel slacks and his bright green sweater that he wore over a white-collar shirt and a gray and green striped tie. On his feet was a pair of hard leather shoes polished to a shine. His chest heaved with apprehension as he fiddled with the cuffs of his shirt.

Turning onto church street and sneaking up behind him, Bones playfully covered his eyes with his hands. Bones could feel him roll his eyes teasingly. "Guess who", McCoy whispered.

"Well, Doctor, welcome back to the world of living," he said, and pulled doctor's hands away from his eyes. He turned to face McCoy, his own smile flashing in reply as he overcame his nerves.

"So good to see you doctor," he said with a broad smile, wrapping Leonard in a bear two men were close friends, their personalities were quite different; they often argued over matters of medical terminology, and which beer was the best sharing a fondness for alcohol. This happened so often that they would sometimes go for weeks without speaking.

During these arguments, McCoy's voice was gruff and laced with old southern tales while M'Benga was soft-spoken and precise. He rarely raised his over another's and he talked with very good prose. One could have recorded it, put a little punctuation in it, and made something like an essay.

These feuds amused Kirk, who would often spy on the both of them; if their room's door was closed and locked, it meant the two medical cadets weren't on speaking terms, and it was key or bust. However, there were no slouches when it came to pulling practical jokes on one another or on the rest of the residential med students.

"You look good; space does suits you well," Jabilo M'Benga* said, jabbing McCoy playfully on the on the arm. McCoy was well dressed too, wearing gray flannel slacks and a handsome tweed sport jacket, and sturdy brown shoes.

"Thank you Jabilo," McCoy said, his own smile fade away. "Walk with me. I need to talk with you," he added.

Jabilo looked up at him, trying to read his face. "All right."

As they walked, a group of small children, ranging in age from around five to ten, ran past. They were squealing as they came and playing keep away with a hat. One, about five, tripped and fell. The thud of her fall was loud enough to silence everyone. Stopping in their tracks, both men turned. They soon took note of what happened; the little one had skinned her knees. Just as they started to go to assist in the situation, they nearly froze again at the sound of her loud, piercing, glass-breaking alien trill of a scream.

There was not a trace of apprehension as she looked up at Bones and Jabilo as they approached. "Hello, sweetheart. What seems to be the problem?" McCoy said, as he bent down to her level. Without a word, she looked down at her skinned knee with a pouty face. Her skin was dark without a tan, greenish-ochre. She had curly dark hair, and dark eyes. Her ears were large and pointed like a Vulcan's, but that was where the comparison stopped, as the tip of her ears split into two points, quite unusual.

"My friend and I are doctors. We can help you," McCoy told her. She eagerly nodded her head, letting go of her knee. McCoy was surprised to see bluish-green blood covering her wound of a mostly human-looking child.

"Doctor, you're the expert in exobiology. How would I clean a blue-blooded humanoid's wound?" McCoy asked looking back at Jabilo, behind him. Dr. M'Benga did not reply. He merely kept his hands clasped behind his back, so oddly Vulcan.

Bones narrowed his eyes at the younger doctor, after realizing that Jabilo was testing him. Looking back at the little girl, who looked curiously at McCoy as the lines on his forehead began to show as he thought. Slowly she started to rise to touch his forehead, fascinated by the Klingon like ridges his frowning seemed to produce. Just at the slightest of her touch, McCoy's eyes opened surprising the little girl. She sat back down ungracefully.

"Mister, why do you have folds on your forehead, and he doesn't?" she asked pointing at Jabilo who bit back a smile.

"Because", Jabilo answered, "He frowns too much."

McCoy glared. "You don't happen to have a bottle of Seltzer on you, do you?" McCoy asked peevishly.

Digging into his bag Jabilo handed McCoy a bottle of seltzer water, fighting off his urge to snicker.

"So now you talk," McCoy grumbled, taking the bottle with a wrinkle of his nose. Jabilo knew McCoy too well to take the doctor's grumbling too seriously.

"This will only sting for a little while," Bones said as he gently washed the child's skinned knee, putting on a bandage. She grimaced but didn't scream, which he was thankful for. '_She must be used to the human the touch_,' he thought when she didn't flinch as he touched her slightly cool skin. He thought it odd, for a fully clothed child to be as cool as she was, despite the winter air.

Now clean, the little girl sat up. Slowly, she stood, grimacing, and rubbing her sore bottom. "Ayala!" two voices rang out.

"Here!" she called out with a trilled accent, bouncing on the balls of her feet. McCoy let out a chuckled breath as Jabilo helped to pull him up.

"Thank you for helping our sister," the two voices said. Finally, up right, McCoy eyes widened as he looked at the young girls.

"Y-you're welcome", he said, dusting off his pants leg. He studied the two young girls. Both were a dark strawberry blonde, medium height. Their skin was lighter than the young girl's was, but they had the same large pointed and split ears. He soon realized he was face-to-face with identical interspecies children, twins, which were rare in these cases. With Starfleet headquartered in San Francisco, the city became one of the solar system's most diverse populations. The city was home to many interspecies couples, and hybrid human-alien children flourished.

They had pretty smiles and a voice that fell pleasant upon a listener's ear, soprano and strong, not piercing like the little one, but soft. The sisters, definitely half-human, almost looked Indian, but their alien DNA was a mystery to him. He smiled, saying his good-byes. Walking away from the three young children, they watched Ayala show off her bandage that was now the envy of the others. "Genetics. Fascinating isn't it," M'Benga commented.

* * *

><p><strong>AN<strong>:Pandora's Box is a rewrite of my fic Rose bud , This is loosely connected with the Ongoing Star trek comic books. that follows after Star trek Into Darkness so what happens there is cannon here.

* * *

><p><strong>Notes<strong>:

***Doctor Jabilo Geoffrey M'Benga**

He conducted his medical internship on Vulcan, an experience that made him particularly skilled in treating members of that species.

** The Alien children that appear here also belong to me.


	2. Reunion 2

**Chapter One **

* * *

><p>"Yeah, genetic engineering has come a long way. Speaking of Genetics, Jabilo, since you're the only person I know qualified for this, on a personal level, can I trust you with a very special patient of mine?" McCoy asked, biting his lip.<p>

"Sure, what is it?" M'Benga asked.

"It's a Vulcan matter," McCoy answered.

Stopping in his cool and precise stride, M'Benga turned and stood in front of McCoy "All right, Doctor", he said kindly.

The city and its monorails were nestled in the foothills beyond, looking like strands of pearls strewn among green velvet. Two blocks later, they climbed the stairs to the monorail station. Several other people stood on the platform. McCoy glanced up at the display and saw that the next monorail would arrive in five minutes. As they stood on the platform, a cold breeze blew in from the bay.

"Len," Jabilo said smoothly.

"Hmm?" McCoy answered.

"I have bad news. My mentor Dr. Sajyc, one of the elder surviving members of Vaa'pak, recently passed. I hardly knew that he was sick – he hid his symptoms from me remarkably well."

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that," McCoy said understandingly.

"But, can you believe that? Aside from the fact that I'm a psi-mute, just by touching him I would have known, it just never dawned on me that I as his student had never touched him until the day he succumbed to his illness. A little piece of him still remains in my subconscious," he said, pointing to his temples. "In the years that followed Vaa'pak, I continued my Vulcan studies on the Vanguard - McCoy looked up, immediately interested."What are you going to do? Something good has to come out of this," McCoy said, frowning.

"I wasn't finished; the good news is just that I've been recalled to Starfleet Medical on Earth pending a transfer to starship duty. M'Benga chuckled at the smile of elation that broke through McCoy's frown.

"Well I better get on with my requests," McCoy said.

"No need. I would be joining your team on the Enterprise," he said.

"R-really?" McCoy stammered. He sounded as though he might choke on the words.

M'Benga nodded, suppressing a laugh. "I'm really going to miss my wife and sons though," he said, sighing.

"Sons?" McCoy said looking at the young doctor in disbelief. "You're what, 20 -29? A baby making babies. My god I'm getting old." McCoy wondered at what age he'd decided that people at the age of twenty were 'children' to him. His brow wrinkled at the thought.

"Len, please, you sound like my mother. I'm 31 and fully capable," he said, pulling out remove from his pocket he held a small, silvery, thumb-sized device and activating it. It glowed blocking all prying eyes but their own.

In what looked like a hospital room, a beautiful woman with long, dark corkscrew curls lay in bed. Sitting beside her was an adorable little boy with rosy cheeks who seemed to be three-years-old with unruly ringlets, his mother's hair, spilling over his bronze forehead, leaning in over his mother's shoulders. In the crook of the curly-haired woman's arm, his face just visible within the blanket wrapped around it was a newborn baby.

"My wife Sahara and my firstborn" M'Benga said pointing. "Jamal, I'm surprised that he grew into such an unusually good little boy; what a screamer he was, very demanding."

"And that," McCoy said, pointing to the baby. "Is your new son?"

"Yeah." M'Benga almost sounded wistful.

"I-I'm lost for words, When did you find the time to, no ... no don't tell me," McCoy said, looking up at him. McCoy's cheeks took on an uncharacteristically red hue.

"Doctor, I do believe you're blushing"

"Go to hell", he murmured. "You have a beautiful family," he added.

"Thank you", M'Benga said, smiling as he started to speak again. "My wife is such a wonderful mother – you'd hardly hear a peep from him after a bath," he chuckled. "She says the baby looks like me and took everything from me. He's a wonderful boy – Manuel sleeps through the night, and I'm glad that he isn't much of the fusser that his brother was," he added, turning off the device and slipping it back into his pocket.

"I wish he'd stop with the 3 a.m. wake up calls though, and then he'd be the perfect baby," he continued. He glanced at the overhead display that announced the next monorail would be arriving in three minutes. He returned his attention to McCoy who grinned at his remark, his blue eyes sparkling with humor.

"Good luck on that; that's what you get for havin' them babies early," he said. "Better to start out expecting the worst; this is coming from a man with two daughters."

With that remark, the monorail pulled into the station, densely packed. "God damn it," McCoy grumbled. "Must've been late as always – to think we've come this far in transportation to still be havin' these problems," he said, tugging his jacket closer to his person.

M'Benga slightly shook his head with his lip pressed tightly together, as he staying close behind McCoy as they shoved their way into the small rail's car. Behind them, McCoy heard a young woman complain about being jostled. "Oh come off it," McCoy said unsympathetically, "We're all going the same place". Their stop was not too far after that, and the monorail stopped at a sprawling glass and metal complex that covered a whole city block.

* * *

><p><strong>Star fleet Medical Headquarters 1533 hours <strong>

* * *

><p>McCoy marveled at it as they headed down a tree-lined walkway towards the building, a brand new building that had opened 3 years after the Enterprise had been deployed on its first five-year mission, replacing the older building that McCoy knew. It was Starfleet Medical's headquarters; patients and medical students entered this building day in and day out.<p>

He found himself standing alone except for a few quietly strolling tourists. M'Benga was not at his side. He looked around for him, eventually spotting him standing by a food cart.

McCoy grumbled, taking long strides now to stand behind M'Benga. He folded his arms and glowered as the young Doctor took his time at the menu panel, finally selecting a type of Basque seafood crêpe that he had never tried before and a chocolate-hazelnut croissant with extra chocolate for dessert. He swiped his card, and with his credits paid off, he took his container.

McCoy reached and tapped his shoulder. M'Benga turned with a little knee jerk reaction. "Oh" he said, startled, his mouth forming an 'O' as he turned to face the older doctor. "Sir, did you want anything?" he asked. "I can order something for you." M'Benga's youth was showing.

"Look you're thirty-one and I'm in my late forties. We're nearly on the same plane here where our ages are concerned, do you understand?" McCoy said with narrowed eyes.

"Yes, sir," he said, M'Benga said, nodding and holding in a laugh. He was amusing himself at McCoy's expense. McCoy glowered from beneath thick dark eyebrows. "Then stop calling me 'sir,'" He grumbled.

"Will try, sir." McCoy rolled his eyes and strode off.

Tagging behind the Doctor, M'Benga tapped his card, unlocking the door. Inside, it was a bright and airy, high ceilinged building with tall windows that gave the impression of a great chapel crossed with a high-rise corporate office in a combination of beauty and efficiency. The entrance was a large plaza filled with people smiling people bustling by and making great efforts not to notice McCoy and M'Benga. Their civilian clothing stood out and McCoy because of his work on the Enterprise Had become somewhat of his own little celebrity.


	3. Reunion 3

**Chapter One **

* * *

><p>The two men entered an elevator and headed for M'Benga's temporary office. The office in question was in the center of the building, on the middle floor. A young, ebony-skinned woman sat at the entrance, steady at work. She was breathtakingly beautiful and the white of her hair and white pupil-less eyes matched the white suit she wore. "Good after noon, sir," she said, acknowledging M'Benga's presence.<p>

"Good afternoon Be'tal. This is Doctor Leonard McCoy, CMO of the starship Enterprise. Put him in the log for..." He looked briefly at the time. "Sixteen hundred hours, patient referral."

"Yes, sir," she answered. "Should I call in an order for lunch, sir?" she asked, looking back up. Her eyes seemed to linger on McCoy.

"No thank you," he said.

"As you wish. You may go ahead." She reached over and pressed a button and the door to M'Benga's office slid aside. McCoy hesitated. It felt so odd being normal for a day, when he was normally the one with the private office.

"It's alright. Come on in. You can sit," M'Benga said, sitting his lunch on his desk. McCoy did not sit, instead watching him order coffee. Doctor M'Benga walked over to a replicator so advanced it made the old ones he had left back on the Enterprise look like tin cans.

"Coffee?" M'Benga offered.

"You're offering me a cup of coffee?" McCoy cocked his eyebrow towards him.

"Yes. However, you are to say, 'No, thank you,'" M'Benga said, pausing to stir honey into his cup. McCoy nodded a little. Remembering the little time, he had had with Spock; he thought Jabilo sounded just like him at this moment.

"Coffee?" M'Benga offered again.

"No, thank you", McCoy answered.

Taking his seat, M'Benga smiled wanly. "Suit yourself", he said, lifting the cover. The crêpe he had brought smelled good and hot steam rose from it gradually. Unfolding his napkin, M'Benga asked, "Now then, what can I do for you?"

He waited for the doctor to start talking, wondering why he was the first person McCoy had contacted after returning to earth, especially when he had a daughter** he had not seen for years that he should be spending time with.

"I told her that if I were to talk with someone on staff about a medical condition concerning anything Vulcan, I would start with you," he said.

M'Benga nodded, cutting a bite of his crêpe with the edge of his fork. "Are you sure you don't want anything? I don't like talking and eating in front of someone without them at least having something," he said.

"I'm fine, had a big brunch on the way over earlier," McCoy answered.

"So, who is this colleague of yours?"M'Benga asked.

"Nyota Uhura. She's the ship's chief of communications. Now if there was one person who would actually change the face of the galaxy one day, someone who could bridge the biggest gap facing interplanetary peace—simply understanding what the devil everyone else is talking about—it would be her," he explained.

"You said this was a Vulcan problem. How does she factor in?"

"She's married to one. Well, half of one," McCoy answered. "Let's just put this in gentle terms. They have some genetic incapability."

"Genetic incapabilities? Are they trying, or thinking about trying?" M'Benga asked.

"They tried and tried so many times that I can't count them on my fingers. I want them to stop and reconsider their options, but Uhura has become a stubborn woman because of if," McCoy answered, handing Jabilo his data padd.

Doctor M'Benga leaned forward and took the Padd from Leonard. "That there is their currently filed medical history since they have been on the Enterprise," McCoy said, pointing to the padd screen.

M'Benga rubbed at his chin. "He's a young Vulcan. Has he been through "his time" as of yet?" he asked.

"His time?" McCoy questioned.

M'Benga looked up at Bones and began to explain. "Most out-worlders do not know of this; Vulcan's themselves don't get involved with another's 'time.' I should not really be speaking of this, but you are his current physician and should know some facts. It is a condition where adult Vulcan's undergo a neurochemical imbalance. During this period, the cortical levels rise, and fall, sometimes at dangerous levels. Without mating in an eight-day time frame, it is most common for Vulcan's to die," he explained.

"They call it Pon Farr; some would say it's a punishment on their half for bottling up all that emotion. Half-human or not, it's got to be released someday."

After a thought, McCoy spoke up "He did experience something like that back in 2260, a year after the destruction of Vulcan, or what they're calling it now Vaa'pak. Spock went mad – the way he treated Doctor Marcus and Uhura was something I ain't never seen from that cool-headed Hobgoblin. McCoy said."As he lay strapped to a bio-bed was the only time I truly began to understand what was going on with him."He had always assumed because of his half-human genes it would slow down the eventual process, or stop it all together."

"I see," M'Benga murmured.

He nodded as he tapped at the Padd. "Pon Farr comes in stages – what you experienced was the Plak Tow, or blood fever. Normally a Vulcan in this state would be unable to speak or think clearly, so in a way Spock was right to assume that his human genes would lessen. There are many, known viruses that have been known to trigger Pon Farr-like symptoms prematurely, but according to your charts, he is rarely sick.

It could have been induced by his work overload and his post-traumatic stress," Doctor M'Benga explained. Generations of Vulcan's are linked to together by a familiar bond, a red string of sorts, and with his planet being destroyed, he could have felt all of those lost souls. Their deaths snapped that red string and brought forth his emotions and being half-human did not slow it down as he thought – it only escalated it to the point that it sent him into an early Pon Farr state.

"Interspecies couples are often left with the options of genetic engineering or adoptions. Their case is a special one; I've never worked with the -T blood type of Vulcan before; like the human -o blood type, it is rare. I do not want to give them any false hope that I can work miracles; like all medical interventions, this would take some timely research, and they would have to undergo a series of fertility treatments to overcome this genetic incapability before I could even begin DNA resequencing and that would cut into their already promising careers." M'Benga continued.

"Have you talked to about the Embryo Screening Program options to her?" M'Benga asked. "She and her husband would be able to pick different traits from hair, eyes, even down to their child's skills. Most people opt for this because there is a genetic advantage to these 'Chrome children' that allows them a much longer life than the average human does, as any congenital genetic defects are 'corrected,'" he explained.

McCoy shook his head. "Uhura wouldn't have it," he said. "She doesn't like the idea of picking and choosing. She and Spock fought over this same thing – he wanted it done and she saw it as taking away their child's uniqueness."

M'Benga sighed, his looking down at the Padd. His eyes widened when they returned to focus on McCoy. "You didn't mention that she was pregnant before. Then there should not be a problem with them conceiving naturally now if they have done it before."

* * *

><p>**<strong>Barbara and Joanna McCoy<strong>

In this universe McCoy has two daughters his first daughter is Barbara she stayed with his ex-wife in the divorce proceeding and the other is Joanna he was left with. However, when he entered Starfleet the care for her as a single father became overbearing with his studies and he asked his sister and her new husband who is off planet to take her.


	4. Reunion 4

"It is true; she was pregnant before in 2064, almost a year into their marriage. She was seven months in an unexpectedly runabout accident. I went against her doing any work at all; I wanted her on light duty if possible. I was just about to handle her medical leave when a mission came. She bit through everything the captain could throw at her just to join our away team. Reluctantly, the captain added her. I confronted Spock about the decision and he, of course, let it stand, stating that he wasn't going to force Uhura into something she didn't want to do," McCoy explained.

"That day I was more hyper-vigilant than usual," he continued," just waiting for the slightest fault in her equilibrium, but that day she was oddly at her best and everything was going well. Then, when we were on our way to return to the Enterprise, we were stuck in an asteroid field. Ensign Sarah almost had us clear, but the deflectors got overwhelmed as the shuttle was hit by a rock the size of this room, and a fuel pod exploded and the impact threw Uhura against a bulkhead.

"It was all too quick; I still can't wrap my head around it. She had a bad concussion, broken rib, and internal hemorrhaging. I was able to stabilize her, but the baby's autonomic functions were failing. If I had not delivered that baby, she would have lost him anyway."

M'Benga paled at the doctor's memory. "When he was born, he had been viable, breathing, living. I held him as Uhura was dazed. Then he began to fade and I couldn't do anything for him; we weren't in a Medical shuttle and I had no equipment. Ensign Sarah, Lieutenant Sanford, and I was forced to watch him desperately cling to life; all I could was try to make him comfortable."

"I'd never thought I would see Spock hold his son, but he did till the last moments of his little life. Spock didn't hold him awkwardly as one would expect from a new father, but with strong arms with one hand supporting the child's tiny body and the other stroking his fingers." McCoy shook his head and swallowed.

"He was so beautiful," he admitted. "Lighter than his mother, he had this shock of thick wavy black curls covering his forehead and he had big brown eyes. His death consumed Uhura soon after. She wanted that child. She thought she had done something in her past and this was her punishment. They never seemed to be able to conceive a viable embryo after that. The injuries from the accident and her internal hemorrhaging did some damage to her ovaries—nothing I couldn't fix with sequencing her DNA to repair it—but once her therapy was over things weren't as back to normal as it seemed, even after her cleared test results"

He Paused, visibly shaken "J, I need a moment," he said.

"Go ahead", Jabilo answered, watching McCoy get up and leave his office.

With down-turned eyes, M'Benga reached for his coffee, which was now lukewarm, shrugging as he picked it up and took a drink from it anyway. Outside of his office, McCoy leaned heavily against the wall as his chest heaved with grief .The heaviness of his memories didn't normally hit him as hard it did at that moment, but, rethinking those images, he couldn't help but think about his own Barbara. Closing his eyes, he calmed his breathing.

Approaching him quietly, Be'tal handed McCoy a cup of water. "You seem overwhelmed, Doctor; is there anything I can do for you?" she asked. Her free hand calmly rested on his shoulder, her other hand holding the clear cup of water.

"No, thank you. I'm fine, just a little human emotion is all," he answered, waving his hand at the cup she held.

"I insist that you take it," she said, pushing the cup gently into his hands.

"What's your name?"Bones asked, sniffing at the water, a sense of habit, before taking a sip of it. She watched him almost with a childlike curiosity; her mind went firing off, comparing McCoy to M'Benga, piecing together their similarities like a jigsaw puzzle, and decoding their differences as well.

As an empathic person, this was natural to her, so studying others became her thing. She could often tell when someone was giving her false truths. "Be'tal Maura,***" she answered. There was a silent yet awkward pause between them in the featureless corridor. As the doctor finished his water, the thoughts in her head were not hers, but his. The moment he stepped out into the hall, she became overwhelmed by a deep sadness, the grief of a person still in mourning.

"Do you want to talk about your feelings, Doctor McCoy?" she asked.

"Feelings?" He looked at her skeptically. "Your mind is elsewhere, doctor. You are not focused on one thing," she explained. The unfamiliar names of his crewmates filtered into her mind with Jim and Uhura showing themselves often. Jim in particular was quite aesthetically pleasing. They both were.

"Hey, keep your thoughts to yourself," he said with his face skewed. Be'tal could only look at him and smile. "Now, Doctor, I am aware that you aren't familiar with my people. We can sense things. When things are not right, I can feel them," she explained as her fingers went to touch his temples. McCoy stepped back a little, unsure of her intentions.

"You're a telepath," McCoy guessed.

"No, we do not read minds not even like such touch-telepaths as the Vulcan's; it's more empathic," she corrected him. "I can sense when a person is lying."

"So am I lying?" he asked.

Be'tel smiled in a coy way and leaned toward him. She studied him for a moment. "No, I don't sense any ill truths about you, but you're so curious about my race, that you're apprehensive to just ask me", she finally answered.

"I did not want to come off as rude," he admitted.

"I'm a Va'raan; my home world is the planet Narran II. We are located in the Beta quadrant, some say we are an off sooth race of the Betazoid. And you are?" she added.

"Doctor Leonard H. McCoy, from Marietta, Georgia, Eart..." Leaning down, and without another word, Be'tal kissed him. As their lips unexpectedly locked, he pulled back surprised. Stammered, "Be'tal, I …don't misunderstand, I'm very flattered but..."

"But what?" She cocked an eyebrow at him.

"We don't ...uh ...do things like that here," he answered.

"Your thoughts were telling otherwise."

"You read my mind."

"I'm not a mind reader doctor; I'm an empath, not a telepath," she corrected him. "Kissing away emotions is what we normally do on my home world; it has no meaning behind it." Running his fingers through her hair, he put his arms around her and kissed her. Maybe it was not a real kiss, but it certainly felt like the genuine article. That was good enough. Hell, it was more than good enough. This second kiss was longer than the first.

"I see that you two have become acquainted," M'Benga commented, his arms folded across his chest. Their lip's split, and broke free of each other.

"How long have you been standing there?" McCoy asked, stepping away from Be'tel."Long enough that it's been passed a minute," M'Benga said, looking at Be'tel as she politely excused herself. Without a word, M'Benga returned to his office with McCoy right behind him.

* * *

><p>***<strong>Be'tal Maura <strong>

Be'tal is a oc , she is a tall woman with an ebony skin tone, and often brightly attired. The Va'raan is my own Alien race that is some what an introduction of the Beatzoids into the 2009 Universe they are every opposite of the Beatziod and have skin tones that varied from golden brown to ebony. There were also a dozen major languages spoken on their world. They have ovoid-shaped eyes, voices that sound like bells, and are described as being very tall and visually attractive to most other races, even non-humanoid ones.


	5. Reunion 5

**Chapter Two**

* * *

><p>1449 Adonis Way, San Diego, California, Dawn<p>

* * *

><p>It was an early Thursday morning, just before the fog settled in, when Spock took his first plunge into his early morning swim, beginning his day just as he always did. He couldn't do much of that on the Enterprise because some of the ensigns had followed up on his routine and caused him to change his plans. Now free at his hillside Californian home he got to do as he pleased. His body wasn't what it had been in his academy days, but he was still lean and toned for a young Vulcan man in his forties.<p>

Spock swam to the end of the pool and climbed out; he walked around to the far corner of the pool room's sitting area, picked up his towel, and dried himself off. His hair was wet and slicked away from his forehead. He stretched briefly and stood there of a moment, towel wrapped around his waist, and sighed. He crossed the patio and made it inside the large lavish house he and Uhura had purchased years ago. He crossed the room headed for the closet.

"Lights, medium intensity," he called out to the computer. The lights came on and he opened the closet and took out the clothing that was hanging inside, a simple black tunic and pants. He quickly changed, then reached for an apron, and tied it around his waist.

Walking into the kitchen, he grabbed a frying pan, and then went to the sink to wash his hands. After he dried his hands, he ran the frying pan under water and rinsed it off before he returned it to the stove. He cracked two eggs into the frying pan, as the oil sizzled and popped. He began to hum, but the tune went nowhere.

He'd been humming for as long as he could remember, a habit he had picked up as a young child playing the piano. Piano, a grand piano.

For that moment, a memory surfaced of himself as a was seated at his mother's grand piano, his feet, dangling from the bench, barely reached the pedals. Amanda, his mother, sat beside him. She wore a gown of pale blue silk and her dark hair was undone and dangling freely over her shoulders.

Her hands were pressed against her lips. Tears ran down her cheeks as his fingers flew over the keys unerringly. She watched in amazement as Spock's hands continued to draw forth the sweet, pure, emotion-laden notes of Als Retnor's* music. Spock's father, Sarek, was also there, standing in the doorway observing. "Oh, Sarek isn't it wonderful?" she whispered. Her voice was filled with excitement.

"He only heard the concerto once just once! Now he's playing it from memory as if he's practiced it a thousand times! But he hasn't just copied Als Retnor. He's better than Als Retnor, better than anyone else I've heard! I'm so proud of Spock, Sarek, so very proud!" With her pride and her joy, she was so very human.

His fingers remained playing as his father spoke, a bit disrespectful, as Vulcan children knew how to greet an adult accordingly. "There are certain elements of his technique that are…impressive." Sarek carefully picked his words, wanting to say much more than he could that his son was talented. Spock's back stiffened at his father's words as he concentrated on playing. The tune grew in anger.

"Certain elements of his technique?" his mother echoed mockingly, her voice raised now well above a whisper. "Sarek can't you hear it? Can't you hear the beauty that Spock is creating?"

His humming continued to this day.

When Spock finished cooking, he retrieved the plates from the table and slid the eggs onto them. He then added the bacon that had warmed in the oven and turned back to the counter as he reached for a plain dark blue coffee mug on a wire rack. He crossed to a small cabinet and stooped down, pulling out a clear plastic scoop. He popped the vacuumed lid of a coffee can, savoring the exotic sent that filled his kitchen as he scooped out a hand full of dark coffee beans. He returned to the counter and began to hand-grind the fresh coffee beans. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a red light blinking on his computer console.

Bypassing the early morning edition of the Star Dispatch that sat on the kitchen table, he came to stand in front of the console. After a soft double beep from the large console in front of him, the early morning news, weather, and time were displayed before him. He waved his hand and cleared the screen. The red pulsing light continued. "Good morning, Viviane."Display message, please," Spock greeted the computer as if it were anyone else in room.

"In coming V-comm from Be'tel Maura, Starfleet Medical Genetics Department," the computer announced in its familiar feminine voice.

"Play," Spock requested.

The light and airy bell-like voice of M'Benga's assistant responded, "My name is Be'tel Maura, and I am Doctor's M'Benga's executive assistant. As soon as you receive this message, would you be so kind as to call him directly? You probably have his new private line, but if not, he can be reached at the following number: 415-976-4203 ext.11. If you cannot reach him there, you can come to the office. All walk-ins are welcome; his office is located on the second floor of the main Starfleet Medical building."

"VI, record message. Save number into contacts," Spock said.

"Message has been recorded and filed appropriately. Would you like me to do anything else, Commander?" Viviane asked.

"Yes, send message to Doctor Leonard McCoy." He hesitated, thinking of how to best phrase his request and looked at the screen contemplatively.

"Should I suggest something, Commander?"Viviane asked politely.

"No, open message, send 'Thank you,' underlined," Spock finally answered.

"Is that all sir?"

"Yes, that is all."

"Message sent. Would that be all, sir?"

"Yes, that would be all, VI; thank you," he replied. The computer turned off with another soft double beep and he returned to the counter to finish breakfast.

Removing his apron, he carefully folded it so it did not wrinkle, and hung it neatly over the chair's arm. From the kitchen, he went to the living room and made his way up the stairs and to his bedroom.

* * *

><p><strong>Note<strong>:

**Als Retnor**

Retnor is a pianist from Alpha Centauri IV as a child Spock heard his music often throughout his home on Vulcan his mother would have it programmed into the Home's computer. She would often record Spock's rendition of a song and Mix it with the original often it's hard to Separate the two from the other.

Als Retnor's music is every emotional and can be compared to Beethoven with an Alien flare.


	6. Reunion 6

**Chapter Two**

* * *

><p>The second bedroom at the top of the stairs served as an office, the bookshelves crammed with textbooks. Hopefully one day it would room the child they'd always wanted. The master bedroom was just across the hall with a bath suite, a bedroom, and a sitting room. Stepping into the sitting room, Spock was quite surprised to find his wife closing their bedroom door behind her. Through blurry sleep-laden vision Uhura quirked a brow at Spock as she came out of the bedroom to find him standing in the sitting room.<p>

Spock's eyes dropped for an instant from her face to the unfastened silk negligée that she wore. At the sound of her voice, his gaze returned to her face. "Good morning." She covered her mouth as she yawned softly. "I thought you'd be deep into meditation by now." She ran a smoothing hand through long flowing braids that hung well beyond the center of her back. She padded barefoot across the thick white carpet of the sitting room to meet him.

"Yes, however I wanted to wake you myself," he said, pressing a kiss to the corner of her eyes. "Breakfast is ready." He brushed the heavy dark brown braids back over her ears.

"Oh that sounds good," she giggled as she smiled. "I'm sorry for my untimely awaking, but I can always make it up to you." Uhura lifted her chin and stretched to kiss him. He returned the kiss, catching the scent of whatever shampoo she used in her hair. Vanilla. He'd always liked that smell.

"That is not necessary," he said.

"Yes." Uhura nodded. She didn't resist, but laughed.

"No," he said. "But… I appreciate your thoughtfulness."

Their fingers touched. "As I have appreciated yours, adun.*" Uhura smiled as her finger touched Spock's cheek. She kissed him. "These past six days have meant more to me than even two and a half years of marriage have."She slid her arms around him and he returned the embrace.

"I hope that is rhetorical," he said and kissed her back. They kissed, slowly and gently, with love more than passion—at first. With his eyes closed, he still saw her, the soft warmth of her smile, and her admirable heart.

"I love you," Uhura said.

"As I do you," he answered."Spock, you're learning." She inhaled sharply in blissful shock. He smiled. Uhura's wonderment turned into a soft giggle, she hadn't seen a full smile from Spock in weeks. She felt a little weak in the knees.

She gave his hand a small squeeze, then smiled as she reached up, and stroked his cheek with her fingertips. "Great, let's get started on that breakfast. Wouldn't want it to get cold now would we?"

Downstairs, the mixed smell of coffee and bacon greeted her. "Something smells good," she said teasingly as a warm smile spread across her face.

"I enjoy the smell of fried potatoes and onions. And I find myself endlessly fascinated by the thermodynamics of cooking eggs and bacon," he said.

Uhura laughed, taking her seat at the kitchen table.

"Would you like some tea, Nyota?" he asked.

"Tea," Uhura repeated. "Tea would be good," she decided with a nod. Spock retrieved a mug from the cupboard, then sat and poured tea for her. Orange spice tea, hot, one with lemon, her favorite tea, a blend she had come to love thanks to Carol. She paused to inhale the tea's sweet aroma and sighed in contentment. 'Kirk can keep his instant coffee,' she thought.

Just as the thought formed, a soft double-beep from the large console interrupted them. "Incoming V- comm. from James Tiberius Kirk, Suraya Bay*,Risa*" Viviane announced.

Uhura groaned at the comm-panel. "Geez, what does he want," she murmured.

Spock swallowed unsurely. "Put the link through, VI," Spock said.

"Linking now."

The display blinked and Jim proudly voiced his presence. "Hey Spock! It's good to see you again. "How's everything? Married life is treating you well," he said, looking Uhura's way.

"Quite well, Jim," she answered.

"Things are good captain," Spock said.

"Spock, remember what I asked you to call me when we're out of uniform," Kirk corrected him.

"Capt…Jim," Spock said hesitantly.

"Good, good, you're getting there," Jim said, adjusting his wire-framed glasses.

"I see that you got Bones' birthday present, Jim," Uhura spoke. Kirk smiled. "I got yours too, and I'm enjoying it. How'd you know I loved the classics?"

"Oh, I had a little help," she said, glancing Spock's way.

"Well I'll be. I didn't know you cared, Spock," Kirk said.

"I know of your fondness for antiques."

"Message, Spock?"

"None of which I am consciously aware, except, of course, happy birthday."

Kirk looked around uncomfortably. " Look don't say that aloud I hate getting older " Kirk muttered. " But getting older is something to be enjoyed ,Jim ,with the best of times ahead of us." Spock said. Jim eyed Nyota as she muffled her laughter; Spock raised an eyebrow at her reaction. "Jim, I assume you are with Doctor Marcus on this leisure tour," Spock said, cutting into his fried egg.

Kirk laughed, rubbing his ear sheepishly. "Carol, no she isn't here; I came here with Lieutenant Jena McKinney," he answered.

Spock blinked. "Who is this Jena McKinney?" he asked before carefully eating.

"I'll tell you later." Jim smiled in a coy way.

"Odd, when I suggested going to Risa for your leave, I had assumed that you would bring Carol along; it had seemed quite logical then," Spock said. "Is there another that you hold affectionately? Perhaps this Jena McKinney, instead of Doctor Marcus?" With her ears now perked, Uhura sipped another mouthful of tea and listened.

"Now Spock, When you assume, you make an ass out of you and me; I'm sure you've heard of that saying," Jim answered. "Why would you think that? I hardly know Carol."

"Oh, I know Jim, but I am right to assume this because during the time that I have been aboard the Enterprise I have found that you act very oddly around Doctor Marcus, and when we do speak about her, your body temperature rises into a mild fever-like state. And your daily presence down in the science labs, though you claim to be there just to annoy me, is nothing but a ploy to be in her company. It seemed to me that you had what young human children call a crush on Doctor Marcus," Spock explained.

"Oh now that's just silly, Spock," Jim said. "Crushes can be so …" He stumbled to find his words, and his peaches-and-cream tanned cheeks turned rosy.

"Juvenile," Spock suggested. Uhura giggled, holding in the loud laughter that wanted to break free.

"Where are you off to now?" Kirk asked, changing the subject.

"Nyota and I have an appointment to attend to this afternoon," Spock answered.

"Appointment…?"Uhura questioned.

"Happy birthday Jim." A slim, tanned arm wrapped around Jim's shoulders.

"Have you've been eavesdropping Jena?" Jim teased, looking up at young woman.

She kissed his forehead.

"Oh, so that's your Jena," Uhura said as she leaned closer to Spock.

"Nyota Uhura, is that you? I haven't seen you in years," she said quite cheerily, leaning over Kirk.

"When Kirk told me you'd gotten yourself married, I couldn't believe it, and to our professor no doubt," Jena commented.

"It's good to see you Miss McKinney," he said. She smiled brightly. "It's good to see you as well, professor, or should I call you Commander," she said, barely keeping the smile away from her lips.

"Spock would be fine," he answered.

"What? You can barely call me Jim," Jim said bewildered.

"It is only proper, Jim."

"It's only proper Jim—blah," Jim, mocked. Spock couldn't tell how much longer he could keep up with this charade. "Oh Jimmy, stop," Jena said with a kiss to his forehead. "I'm sure Mr. Spock is only being polite."

"Jimmy, I like that," Jim answered. "When did you come up with that one? Goodbye, Spock, Nyota." The console's screen went black and the late-morning news, time, and weather returned. Uhura rolled her eyes."That man is such an overgrown noob."

"Noob?" Spock repeated. "Clueless behavior to incorrigible obnoxiousness or stupidity. If I'm not mistaken my mother once used the word noob as a reference to my father." Uhura laughed. "Well, then if she had, your father may very well have acted like a noob." Uhura smiled and, with a caress of his ears, kissed his cheek.

"Have I ever acted like a noob?" Spock queried.

Uhura's eyes twinkled. "If I had a dollar for all the times you've acted very noobish Mr. Spock, I would be a very rich woman," she said, standing up out of her chair. "Just think about that."

Spock pursed his lips and looked at her as she went to reheat her breakfast. "We have not used paper currency in years."

Uhura hid a laugh behind pursed lips."We have an appointment this afternoon?" Uhura asked curiously, changing the subject.

"Yes, I am sorry I did not tell you earlier," he said.

"No, it's alright, you can tell me now. I'm all ears, hon," she said, returning to her seat.

"We received a call from Doctor M'Benga's office. Instead of calling in, I had preferred that we walk in; they encourage that," he explained.

"Finally," Uhura breathed happily. She brought her gaze up to look him in the eyes, and sure enough, he was watching her. He hadn't looked away from her the entire time. "We haven't really talked about it much," she said, holding his hands gently. "I mean it wasn't something I've really thought about—not consciously anyway, not after the baby we lost. We've both proven ourselves willing to make such hard choices."

"Nyota."

"Do you really want to have a baby?" she asked. Even before their first child they had discussed children ; a past time of Uhura's he found strange but he delved into the small talk, he wanted a son and Uhura wanted a daughter they had not settled on names but Uhura had gave him permission to name their son, which he named Delvok. He said nothing for a while. After a moment, he softened.

"There are still a lot of things we need to decide, and there are people we should talk to." He pursed his lips, his eyes fixated on the steam rising from his coffee mug.

"Right. I understand," she said. "What matters is to do what good you can while you have the chance." She studied him. "Spock…so is that a yes?"

"We will try again," he said.

"Thank you," she said, caressing his pale knuckles. They sat that way for a few moments, quietly and comfortably until Spock pulled his hand away and reached for his coffee and they began a lighter conversation.

* * *

><p><strong>Notes<strong>:

**Delvok** was the name of their son Uhura lost aboard a shuttle accident a year after they were married he was born prematurely because of that and died peacefully in Spock's arms aboard the Enterprise.

_His name written in Vulcan Devlan Vokaya means will of memory._

**Adun** the Vulcan word for husband

All vulcan Words can be referred to the **Vulcan Language Dictionary**

**Suraya Bay **was a coastal resort on the planet Risa, known for having villas built right into the cliffs. The Risian celebration known as _Lohlunat_ was celebrated there.

**Risa **Designated as a "pleasure planet", **Risa** was an inhabited Federationplanet. This planet was the homeworld of the humanoid Risians. It was orbited by at least two moons and located in a binary system about 90light years from the Sol system. The planetary government was named the Risa Hedony.

The Federation starbase Starbase 12 was located close to this planet.


	7. Plans 1

**A/N**: I'm an artist ,not a Doctor so there's going to be science that only a Star trek fan can make up within these chapters.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Three<strong>

* * *

><p>With her mug and plate in her hand, Uhura touched the button that activated the kitchen faucet. A second later, it shot a steady stream of water at room temperature, dousing the breakfast plates. Of course, she and Spock could avoid washing dishes altogether and just replicate them and recycle afterwards, but they'd decided after their first night of marriage to maintain as much normalcy in their lives as possible.<p>

Uhura reached for the bottle of lavender liquid soap and a sponge, and she grabbed the dark Starfleet-issued mug and got to work.

"Nyota."

"Hmm." She glanced over to see Spock's hazel eyes regarding her.

"Allow me to attend to the dishes, and I will wait here as you get cleaned up and dressed."

She watched him, surprised. "Spock, you went through all the trouble to cook; at least let me help with the cleanup," she said with her back to the sink and the soapy mug still in her hands.

"It was not any trouble Nyota. I enjoy doing it." He stood up and walked toward her, and, without a word, he bent toward her, softly touching his lips to hers. They felt soft and hot against her, a gentle intensity. Her arms slid around him, a chuckle escaped her lips, and her features softened as she smiled. She hated the silly smile she knew was brightening her whole face.

"Alright, I'll go." 'You big tease,' Uhura thought with a smirk as she made her way up the stairs towards their master suite. Spock glanced behind him and the slightest of smiles curved his lips.

Freshened from a hot shower, she stepped out of the stall and grabbed a towel. Uhura wrapped her towel around herself and padded away toward the bedroom.

She headed straight for their closet as the lights turned on. She searched for something weather-appropriate to wear. Their closet was a large him-and-her closet large enough for the both of them to walk in at the same time and not be bothered with each other.

Her side was organized clutter as she called it, while his side was precise and ordered. All of his human casual clothing was colored-coded; even his shoes had a place.

Her clothing included five sets of ceremonial Vulcan robes. She searched through the extravagant garments and pulled out a dark olive turtleneck. She shook her head in amusement. 'Maybe I should let Spock do as he pleases in this closet,' she thought. She adjusted her bra and pulled the knitted sweater on with ease, and then turned to look for a pair of jeans.

"Ugh," Uhura groaned. "How did it get this bad?" The luxury of having a large closet was becoming a pain. The glimmer of a sliver button caught her eyes, and, on her toes, she stood and yanked down what she believed was her favorite pair of jeans. With a squeal, she moved out-of-the-way, as clothing tumbled down from overhead.

Her manicured hand clasped over her mouth as she giggled. She quickly pulled on the dark jeans and stepped out of the closet. The lights turned off as she closed the door behind her. "I'll deal with you later," she muttered. Now fully dressed, she walked over to her vanity, pulled open a drawer, and shifted through scattered jewelry.

Finally, she pulled up a pair of earrings and fixed them to her ears. She decided to go without makeup and fixed her hair. Satisfied, she grabbed a shoulder bag on the way out. As she walked downstairs, she saw her husband standing in front of the hallway mirror.

Spock was wearing dark slacks and a gray shirt. His eyes were fixated on the IDIC medallion he always wore under his uniform.

She saw him sigh and tuck the medallion under his shirt. He pulled the door open and pulled on a sweater. She gasped with a girlish giggle. She recognized the sweater. She remembered pulling it off him the first time they had made love. Uhura's muffled giggle caught his attention and he peered up at her.

"What is it that you find amusing Nyota?" he asked.

"Nothing serious, it's that sweater." She pointed at the knitted beige sweater he wore. "Brought back memories." She felt her cheeks warm.

"Hopefully good ones, K'dwa"

"Yes, always."

She made her way downstairs gracefully. "VI, lock up for the night and record all calls and file them appropriately," Spock said as he reached Uhura at the foot of the stairs.

"Affirmative Commander," VI answered.

"You've got plans," Uhura said. Spock stayed silent with his lips pursed. He simply turned and walked straight for the door. "Don't tease me; you know my brain don't work like yours," her voice rang out as she joined Spock at the front door, all smiles. She grabbed her jacket.

Spock held the door opened for Uhura and then followed her out.


	8. Plans 2

**Chapter three **

* * *

><p>"Want to wait and request a taxi?" Uhura suggested as she pulled a pair of gloves from her pocket.<p>

"No, we should take the Monorail," Spock answered.

"Gosh, I kind of wish we were on Risa instead of the captain," she said and slipped the gloves onto her slender hands.

"Sending the captain to Risa was for his own good," Spock said as they started to walk down the street in the direction of the monorail station.

"I guess you're right. That man doesn't know when to stop; I'm surprised you convinced him."

"The captain is not as stubborn as he is perceived to be."

"Did you tell him about women and food?" Uhura asked as she eyed her husband.

"I will make no comment on that," Spock answered, looking up the clear late-evening sky.

"So Madame Chang's for dinner? The food's pretty good there and we haven't eaten out in quite a while," Uhura said and slipped her arm through Spock's.

"I was thinking Klingon at Warp Core."

"Ooh Klingon, that's daring; haven't eaten Klingon since our first date," she said, squeezing his arm. With Doctor McCoy's restrictive diet, any Klingon, hell, any non-human food, was off the table after numerous near-death accidents involving intergalactic foods amongst crewmates.

"I'd like that, a nice, steaming-hot Rokeg blood pie"

"It still amazes me that I found a human who enjoys it as much as I do," Spock said, the tone of his voice quite amused.

Uhura laughed. "If it weren't for my uncle, who knows where I'd be right now." Spock knew of her uncle. A brave man who had sacrificed his life for his family. His involvement with space had been what had encouraged Nyota to pursue Starfleet, and she dedicated her career to him, a man who would be very proud of his niece had he lived to see her flourish.

When she glanced back up, she saw Spock's gaze still on her. She looked at his strong, handsome features and wished he smiled more. "Why are you smiling?"

"Smiling? Vulcan's do not smile."

"Please, then you would tell me New Vulcan doesn't have a moon."

Spock opened his mouth to speak, but a breeze of cold air swept past. Spock pulled his jacket tight around his neck and dug his hands into his pockets. Uhura looked up at him. She saw that the cold air had turned Spock's nose and cheeks bright green. San Francisco's cool winters had always made him uncomfortable.

"Why do you hide them?" she asked, noticing his wool hat pulled down far lower over his ears.

Spock glanced at her briefly; she wore a pair of long, dark slacks that flattered her athletic figure, and a simple turtleneck sweater, olive-green. Gold earrings set with turquoise dangled from her ears.

"It is a form of a habit I have developed since I was a child; I never thought anything of it."

They walked in a comfortable silence to the monorail station. Once at the monorail station, Spock took Uhura's hand as they walked up a short flight of stairs. "You charmer," she giggled.

A couple of public school girls giggled in a corner and eyed them as they walked through the concourse. Uhura glanced at them. Their uniforms were ruffled, and their shirts were not tucked into their skirts and were unbuttoned way to damn low. "Their parents must be ashamed at how they treat their uniforms," Uhura muttered at the gate before tapping her card for entrance.

* * *

><p>"Teenaged rebellion, everyone goes through it," Spock whispered.<p>

'Not me,' she thought. Uhura looked up at her husband and images of a rebellious teenaged Spock flashed in her thoughts. Although she wanted to laugh, she remained serious as she continued speaking.

"That's an excuse just to be rude. Back where I'm from, girls pined to get into the most popular school with the best uniform. Parents went out of their way just to get their children into a good school."

"Different decade, different rules, Nyota," Spock said.

Uhura looked at her husband in disbelief. "God, you are starting to sound like Jim."

Uhura saw the headlamps of the oncoming monorail. She moved toward the boarding area and Spock followed. With a gush of wind, the monorail pulled into the station. With a hiss, the gull doors opened.

As they entered the railcar, Uhura looked for a free seat. A young man stopped her. "You can sit here ma'am," he said. He was dressed in a Starfleet Academy uniform. Uhura smiled at the obviously first-year student. His dirty blonde hair and baby-faced looks said he was 16 years old. 'They're recruiting them younger,' she thought.

"Oh, thank you," Uhura said. His curly hair bounced as he nodded coyly. He stood charmingly. A soft "You're welcome" graced his lips and Uhura took her seat and watched him as he found another seat. He was tall and lanky, awkward at best.

'God speed cadet, god speed,' she thought.

"He is so young, think he would beat out Pasha?" she commented as Spock stood slightly in front her, holding on to a handrail above them.

"He has potential there; if anything, it is in his eyes."

"His eyes, Spock? What about them?" Uhura questioned curiously.

"There is a bit of the captain in them."

Uhura looked up at Spock. "Great, as if Starfleet needed another one," she said, glancing back at the young man who was busy gazing down at his own padd.

A moment later, Uhura dug into her bag and pulled out her padd and a pink stylus pen, leaning forward as he spied on what she searched. "Starfleet medical database," he said. She could have sworn there was amusement hidden under his tone of voice. She looked up at him.

"What are you researching?" he asked.

"I'm curious to know who this doctor is, Spock," she answered. The older woman who sat next to her glanced at Spock for the briefest of moments in surprise. Spock made the smallest of smiles.

"I'm sure you're just a bit curious too. I need more information than that Bones has a close friendship with him to go along with this."She said.

"Yes, but I do not think McCoy would lead us astray," he said confidently. His comment was left unanswered. Spock pursed his lips and looked at the interactive map behind him that indicated that their transfer stop was two stations away.

"There you are," she exclaimed, looking down at her padd as a medical profile displayed his information. Doctor Jabilo G. M'Benga. The picture was of a young-looking everyman of Kenyan descent. He had to be in his early thirties. But despite his looks, he had a good record of accomplishment. She didn't want to judge him too harshly. Maintaining a positive attitude was essential. So what if they were in the same age group?

A quick glance at his service record indicated that he had spent most of his career on Vulcan and aboard a space station, named Vanguard. "Found what you needed?" Spock asked. She sighed and looked up at him. "He seems like the cleanest doctor out there and he has good bedside manner. Get this though; he is the first human to specialize in Vulcan medicine."

"Fascinating."

"He had an internship on Vulcan," she whispered. "The lone human among Vulcan students. I wonder how he handled that; I couldn't."

"I am sure the much older students who attend the VSA are more tolerant," Spock said.

"I doubt that Spock. The way they treated you was deplorable even for a half-Vulcan; just think about being a full-blooded human amongst them. Besides your mother, I don't think they can tolerate humans."

"I understand your reasoning."

"It says here that he was trained by a Doctor Sajyc, a Vulcan healer. He was highly regarded in neurologic medicine. Oh." Her eyes grew heavy.

"What is it?" Spock asked.

"Though he survived the destruction of Vulcan, he passed away two years ago from Bendii Syndrome,* one of the very neurological illnesses he was studying."

"That is an unfortunate outcome for such a great mind."

"Spock, did you know of him?" Uhura asked.

"No, but my father did. Sajyc mentored him when he was younger. My father he was somewhat rebellious when he was young; he fell in love with my older brother's mother, who was an unbounded princess at the time. My father broke Vulcan discipline to be with her. After her shunning, Healer Sajyc trained him in the Kolinahr ritual."

"He was a Kolinahr Master."

"Yes, as he grew older he became more scientific in his healings and became a researcher for the VSA."

"Wow."

* * *

><p><strong>Bendii Syndrome <strong>_was a degenerative neurological illness affecting a minority of elderly Vulcans. Initially it was characterized by wasting, weakness, fatigue, fever, and a gradual but accelerating loss of emotional control, with victims exhibiting sudden bursts of emotion. Diagnosis was made by culturing tissue samples taken from the patient's metathalamus. There was no known treatment, but the disease was the focus of ongoing medical research._


	9. Plans 3

**Chapter Three**

* * *

><p>A minute later, as they rode in a driverless taxi, Spock was unusually quiet. Looking up at her husband, Uhura noticed that he had pulled off his wool hat and was running a hand through his hair.<p>

"Spock?"

Spock eyes opened.

"We're almost there," Uhura said. Spock knew that wasn't what she meant. "I am fine," he assured her.

Uhura smiled. "I don't believe you."

Spock raised an eyebrow at his bondmate.

"You're nervous," Uhura spoke quietly. "I sense your doubt."

"No doubt," he said. "There is guilt."

"Guilt? There is no need for guilt, "Uhura said.

He looked back at her. "Still, it exists" Spock caught the smile she tried to suppress and unexpectedly found himself doing the same.

"Spock are you afraid?" she asked, hoping to get a reaction from him, but his eyes remained unreadable. "It's logical to feel this way I understand, but we're doing the right thing."

"Fear and guilt are emotions that I am feeling right now, and logic plays no part in them," he said.

"I thought you believed logic plays a part in everything."

"The words logic and believe do not often belong in the same sentence." Spock kept his face neutral, and glanced at the windows again.

Uhura clasped his clenched hand and caressed it softly. "It's going to be alright," she said. "Lady T'pol's son with Commissioner Tucker is all the proof we need." Spock drew a breath as he sat forward and held Uhura's gaze. "Our best hope." Uhura smiled brightly. Spock nodded. The taxi stopped and Spock felt it settle slowly as its wheels withdrew. She felt like kissing Spock, but she knew that he would be embarrassed if she did, even in the company of an A.I.

'We have arrived at your destination,' the taxi's A.I announced.

She smiled softly at him. "I'll pay." She swiped her card and the taxi's winged door opened.

Humans and other assorted species, some wearing Starfleet uniforms, but many more dressed in civilian attire, were walking past the various storefronts or sitting at tables positioned outside some of the establishments.

As they walked down the tree-lined entrance to Starfleet medical, Spock found himself becoming increasingly uneasy.

"Wow, look at what they've done to this place, Spock, it's quite amazing."

"Yes, quite."

As they entered the second floor, Uhura became anxious. They walked down the long featureless hallway. As they went through the glass doors, the doctor's assistant Be'tal greeted them. Now she knew how Spock felt.

"Good afternoon, how can I help you?"

"I am Commander Spock and this is my wife, Nyota Uhura. I came to see Doctor M'Benga. You must be Be'tal Maura," Spock said as remembered her bell-like voice from the message she'd left. Be'tal smiled with a nod.

"It is my great pleasure to meet you both," she said.

Be'tal did not match what Spock had assumed she'd look like. Her skin was a rich chocolate brown with diamond-shaped patches of forest green and gold adorning her forehead and more diffused diamond patches running down her arms and possibly elsewhere. The suit she wore contrasted with her skin, setting her apart from everyone else that walked by.

He watched as she leaned and pressed a speaker button. "Doctor M'Benga, your patient referrals are here. Should I let them in?"

"Of course, send them right on over. Thank you Be'tal," M'Benga's soft voice sounded through clearly.

"You may proceed right through those doors."

"Thank you."


	10. Plans 4

**Chapter Three**

* * *

><p>Be'tal glanced behind her and watched them knowingly. The phone on her desk began to ring. "Starfleet Medical Genetics Department. This is ES Be'tal Maura. Who is speaking?"<p>

"Who else would it be darlin'?" McCoy's honey-dipped Southern drawl pressed against her ears from the other end.

"Doctor, you know I'm not supposed to use the office phone for personal calls," she whispered, though she was hardly offended at the call. She loved hearing his voice.

"I know, I know, but yesterday got me thinking about me and you. He swallowed and tried to take a deep breath. "Would you like to join me for a friendly drink together at Warp Core?"

"Warp Core? Doctor McCoy, is this a date that you're asking me out on?"

"It's whatever you want it to be, Be'tal."

She blushed. "I was also thinking myself, Leonard McCoy that I would like to be able to call you Bones. But as I understand it, that name is reserved for friends."

"We can always work on that."

Her smile brightened. "I would love to join you then after work." She laughed as he agreed to their arrangements. "Goodbye Leonard," she said, hanging up the phone as a girlish squeal nearly spun her around in her desk chair. Her fingers clasped around her mouth quickly as the flow of the office seemed to halt in pace. Her co-workers stare at her. "Back to work," she said, pulling her emotions together again as the office resumed. Her smile lingered on her lips.

Spock and Uhura walked through the doctor's private office. The rich earth tones that colored the walls and trim soothed the senses better than the stark grays and blues that adorned McCoy's office. The desk had an unusual structure, a semicircle that ran from the middle of the rear wall around the far one.

Two soft chairs sat opposite it, but there was easily room for two more. Several photos of the doctor's friends graced every horizontal surface that was not a workspace. Leonard was present in many of them one even showed Kirk. Several cabinets ran above the rear of the desk and along the opposite wall.

"Doctor M'Benga," Uhura called out.

The doctor's office preceded the examination rooms and recovery wards beyond. Uhura's nervousness was becoming apparent to Spock who held her hand. Her slight tremble made him squeeze her hand reassuringly. This appointment was only evaluations.

"Oh, forgive me, I was just prepping my aids, Shinat and T'prynn," M'Benga said as he appeared from behind a far wall, wearing a white lab coat over a blue satin, low-collared version of a Starfleet uniform tunic and cradling a coffee mug.

"Please have a seat. I just made this cup, would you like some?" M'Benga offered.

"No, thank you." Uhura shook her head almost shyly. M'Benga smiled at the woman McCoy had talked about. She was not as vibrant as McCoy had praised her on being, but he noticed her anxious appearance as she gripped her Vulcan partner's hand.

Spock didn't waste time with pleasantries. Uhura caught herself stealing sidelong glances at Doctor M'Benga; his close-cropped hair flattered the crown of his perfectly rounded dark head. His mannerisms were eerily similar to Spock's, precise, and measured.

His blue eyes met hers, that limpid blue against his dark complexion. His eyes were stunning, though she'd never thought she could love blue eyes anymore after meeting Kirk's.

'God,' she thought. The effect was startling; just thinking about them made her feel like she'd get electrocuted.

* * *

><p><strong>AN**: That you for all of the Reviews. I hope you stay around for my acadamey Fic A Stitch in time I'm dropping little nuggets through out this Fanfiction to tie the two stories togther see if you can guess what they are.


	11. Plans 5

**A/N: **Sorry for the long wait. I got caught up in art work I had to finish and deal with some real life I hope you enjoy this update. I'd like to thank my beta The Baritone for putting up with me and helping along the way.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter three <strong>

* * *

><p>"You have blue eyes," Uhura blurted out. Both men unexpectedly paused in their conversation and gave her the same quizzical stare. The shared mannerism nearly spooked Uhura as her mind started to wander; she had been thinking illogical thoughts as Spock would say.<p>

"I'm sorry," she finally said.

M'Benga smiled. "Not to worry, I get that a lot. Is it that weird?" He paused then released a small chuckle. "My parents often joked that I got blue eyes from radiation contamination after being born in a Federation cargo freighter's sweet spot."

"**Sweet spot**?" Uhura laughed in spite of her mood.

"That didn't come out quite the way I intended," he said as his skin darkened in a blush. Uhura smiled. "There is no other word for it. It was this odd space aboard the ship where the artificial gravity field was inverted," he said. "I am sure the Enterprise has one."

Uhura listened to his voice. Every syllable sounded perfect and precise, so controlled that there was no stutter. It was pleasing to the ear.

"Are you sure you're not a Vulcan?" She straightened up and gradually relaxed her hands.

"By all means, Mrs. Uhura, I am one hundred percent human," he answered. Seeing her relax buoyed his mind a little.

"So, Doctor McCoy said that he knew you for some time."

M'Benga's smile reached his eyes. "Yes, McCoy was the first person I met in Starfleet, him being my roommate and all. There was a week beforehand when McCoy showed me around. We actually have lot of things in common and we hit it off quite well. Did you know the doctor is good at basketball? I've never seen a man jump free throws as good as he does."

"I have heard a lot about you, Mr. Spock, a lot during my off hours at the VSA. It seemed that the students there are obsessed with you. They either think highly of you or curse you under their breath."

"Has your time at the **VSA** been difficult?" Spock asked.

"No, not at all. I learned to control my emotions through meditation before attending, so if they wanted to taunt me, they would not had gotten much out of me. But they were curious about my genetic makeup. I thought it was about my skin tone, but that was illogical, considering that there were lots of Vulcan students with my skin, some even darker. They were attracted to my eyes."

"The combination of your skin tone and eyes is what could have brought along the curiosity. It's very pleasing." Spock responded.

M'Benga nodded. "That's understandable." Scooting back in his chair, he pushed two small two small padds across the desk. "I have some request forms and permission logs for you to fill out, just your basic medical information."

With a heavy audible sigh, Uhura couldn't help but roll her eyes as she leaned slightly forward and picked up the padd in front of her. 'Always more paperwork even in the absence of paper—reports to sign off on, statistics to confirm, requests to answer, procedures to follow,' she thought.

Her eyes remained fixated on the clear tablet as she settled into her chair, her large eyes flickering rapidly as she read. Uhura could feel Spock's gaze on her. She knew her quietness unnerved him. She glanced at him and gave him a reassured smile, but he couldn't help but notice that her hand tightened around the padd.

"Doctor, I have a question," she said calmly. Spock glanced at M'Benga unsurely.

"Sure, go ahead." His eyes never left Uhura as she began to speak.

* * *

><p>"What's the history on this program?" she asked.<p>

"Since first contact with the Vulcan's and the Terra Prime incident with the birth of Elizabeth made bioengineering possible, the advancements made in genetic manipulation have led to interesting avenues." He glanced at Spock briefly. "You want to offer people some hope that genetic manipulation might improve their lives or the lives of their children. We have that now; the people of the Federation have those options available to them because of those advancements."

Uhura's brow furrowed. "Choosing every trait about your baby it seems so cool and calculating; I wouldn't want to live my life knowing that my future was written, that my boundaries had been already set. Would you?"

"I suppose I might seek out other parties with experience."

"Other parties? Doctor, they've given away their humanity with this genetic manipulation. They breed out many of the qualities that make life worth living- the uncertainty, the self-discovery, the unknown- over some vague promises or genetic improvement or invincibility."

"It's not that simple, you know."

"Are you so sure, Doctor?" Uhura made eye contact with M'Benga as she spoke. "Genetic engineering can make viruses spread faster, make them resistant to treatment. These 'Chromes' aren't so perfect." Spock was intrigued and listened to his wife's arguments. The uncertainty and frustration rose. As she spoke, her speech patterns had a Vulcan cadence to them, making her voice hoarse. Speechless, the Doctor finally met that bold passionate woman McCoy had praised. He was sure she was the one that kept the Enterprise bridge crew in check. He watched as she stormed out of his office. "Uhura!"

"Doctor, may I have a word with my wife." His wife's anxiousness flooded their bonds and caused him to tense. There were strong echoes of the pain and anger he'd felt as a boy, when the other children had taunted him as a "half-breed," a "barbarian" whose father had brought shame to Vulcan by marrying a mere human.

"Very well," was all that M'Benga could mutter, still in shock as he settled in his chair. His fingers drummed cordially, as he pensively thought about calling Doctor McCoy. In a smaller room, Spock found Uhura pacing her fists clenched tightly. Her emotions were free; they would affect any Vulcan that would happen to walk in on them. "Nyota." His gaze landed softly on her and his voice was gentle as he shifted to face her.

"You let your emotions get the better of yourself again." Her frustrated tears slipped freely down her cheek she wiped at them irritably. His upswept eyebrows furrowed. He looked behind him briefly at the door then turned his focus on Uhura. "Do not cry over me."


	12. Plans 6

He leaned closer and spoke gently. Her tears were of frustration, his frustration most likely. "If I hadn't gone on that mission we wouldn't be in this mess right now."

"Do not blame yourself," he said holding her closely, his hands gently rubbing her back.

"Spock," she said through a keening cry struggling for control. Her voice was a throaty gasp as she buried her face into his chest and wept."Amani, Ashayam." Spock said his voice deep and soothing. "Close your eyes. Clear your mind."

"I can't," she admitted, her emotions being her distraction. All of her breathing lessons with Spock just seemed irrelevant now.

"Breath, Nyota. Relax." His fingers settled gently on the side of her face. "Peace of mind, dear one."

"Thank you," Uhura breathed as she looked up at him with a smile. His thumb wiped away the trail of hot tears from her cheeks. "I look pathetic, right."

Spock smirked. "No, you are alright." Uhura smiled and rose on her tiptoes to embrace him in a hug and plant a soft kiss on his lips. "I feel like a fool. I should apologize to M'Benga; I don't want him to think that this is how I act," she said.

"He will understand," Spock said reassuringly. Uhura nodded. "We should get back. Don't want him thinking were doing other things in his supply room."

Uhura sighed deeply and pulled her emotions together and with her strength regained, she walked briskly, leaving Spock behind to catch up. At the threshold of the office, Uhura tensed as her eyes locked on the young doctor. He was speaking on a cell. Her gaze snapped as she felt the strong hands of her husband grip her shoulders.

"Doctor," she said with Spock standing behind her, his hand resting on her shoulders. She finally moved towards his desk. "I want to apologize for my outburst. It was unprofessional." Those ice-blue eyes of his stared back at her. She didn't even know where to begin.

Ending his call, he smiled. "Don't apologize. I'm well aware of your feelings," M'Benga said, standing out of his chair. The good doctor had saved her. She sighed with relief.

"Come follow me," he said, taking the padds with him. Uhura looked at Spock, but then shook her head and followed the doctor. As they walked down the short hall, M'Benga returned the padds to the both of them, allowing them to complete the forms. They made a sharp turn around the corner.

"Doctor?" Uhura asked.

"Hmm," he answered.

"Where are going?" she asked.

"The lab," he answered, opening another set of glass doors she hadn't noticed in her outbreak.

"Lab?"

She handed the padds back to M'Benga, who gave them a dutiful glance before passing them to his partner. Nurse examined them more carefully. The redheaded woman then gave them back to M'Benga with a nod and stepped aside.

"State of the art, we'll be spending most of our time here."

"Convenient," Spock said.

"If there's any lab around that can make a man like McCoy blush it's this one," M'Benga joked to loosen the air. The notion of the doctor blush made Uhura giggle. M'Benga glanced at her, his eyes smiling.

"These look all right," M'Benga said.

"Doctor, about those forms; what was their purpose?" Uhura asked.

"They give us access to the medical freezers on board the Enterprise, so while we work here, we would be able to do so without hindering your work. Once done, your bio-samples will be stored in London, where the program's maximum-security storage facility is located, so your progeny will be safe and sound awaiting your return to Earth. But before all of that can happen, we will have to secure a blood sample from the both of you."

"Blood sample?" Uhura asked. Her voice was crisp, in control once again.

* * *

><p>"Yes, for screening." M'Benga nodded. "This is our first step into genetic engineering, testing the parents' blood for compatibility before we can sequence the appropriate DNA structure of a viable embryo," M'Benga informed them calmly.<p>

"Nurse T'prynn," he called.

"Yes, sir," a soft voice sounded from the back of the lab as a young Vulcan woman walked towards them. She wore a blue Starfleet smock jacket over a standard medical uniform."This is Spock and his adun'a Uhura. Can you take a blood sample from the both of them?"

"Yes, Doctor I can do that," she said. Spock watched her greet the doctor and take the padds from him. She gave them a once over and nodded with approval. Calmly, she slid the tablets into her black medical pouch. Narrow eyes under arched brows, dainty lips, and a shock of curly black hair surprised Spock. She looked like the Vulcan's that came from the southernmost region of Old Vulcan, but something was different about her. He couldn't pinpoint what it was.

"It's an honor to meet with you osu Spock," she said with a small bow. Spock shook his head, motioning for her to stand tall. "I am grateful to be in your presence as well, my sister."

When she looked back up at Spock, he noticed, what made her different, such wise old eyes for a young woman. Excusing herself from the doctor, she approached Spock without a word. T'prynn reached into the pouch at her side, opened it, and withdrew a handheld device with a clear tube attached to it.

She motioned for Spock to sit. Spock then rolled up his sleeve, exposing his arm. Cleaning the area with a cotton ball, she lifted the device to the side of his shoulder, and pressed it against him to take a blood sample. Spock was calm, emotionless, and detached as though bloodletting was routine.

Spock glanced at the tube and saw his green blood flowing into it. It glowed a deeper emerald than any of the blood he'd shed in a long time. 'Fascinating,' he thought.

When the nurse pulled the device away, she withdrew the tube, swirled it for the doctor, and returned the vial into her pouch. She readied another syringe and Spock watched the young nurse turn away from him and approach Nyota with care. She was a lot gentler with Uhura than she had been with him. Nyota nodded and rolled up her sleeve, exposing her arm.

T'prynn took her arm while speaking with Nyota and waited for her assurance; with a nod, she pressed the syringe into her arm. Uhura grimaced at the sting of the needle and looked away at the sight of her blood flowing freely into the vial. She couldn't stand the sight of blood.

Uhura sighed heavily, leaned back into her chair, and blotted clean her arm.

"Thank you T'prynn," Uhura said, her voice soft as she glanced at M'Benga, who nodded with approval. Straightening her posture, she regarded them both as she held up her left hand and offered a traditional Vulcan salute. "I wish you both peace and long life."

"Live long and prosper," Spock returned. With a nod, T'prynn left and returned to her station.

"Ow," Uhura hissed, and did her best not to grimace. Spock moved forward to help her. He sounded less Vulcan in his query. "Nyota, are you all right?"

Her hand rose and he stopped in his tracks. "I'm okay," she said. Spock straightened in his stance and watched the doctor carefully examine her.

"The swelling should go down in a couple of minutes. How about you Spock, any discomfort?" M'Benga looked up at the Vulcan as Uhura rolled down the sleeve of her sweater.

"No Doctor, I feel just fine."

Spock pokes his wife's arm in a teasing fashion; Uhura hissed and looked at her husband smugly. M'Benga chuckled at their interaction. Five years aboard the Enterprise might not be so bad after all.

* * *

><p>The Progress of life began in a month's time its first DNA sequence was a success and a freshly created Embryo was frozen and stored awaiting it's parents. In the next year, they return to a newly repaired Enterprise with old and new faces ready to begin a new adventure. And Pandora's locks keep turning ever so slightly.<p>

* * *

><p><strong>AN:**The next Chapters are the meat of my story this was just the potatoes the gravy is yet to come get ready for a drama filled first day back abroad the USS Enterprise.


End file.
